San Diego County Digest

Escondido

Low bids for the construction of Escondido's multimillion-dollar Center for the Arts came in more than 11% under the estimated cost, according to a report issued Monday.

The total amount for construction of the four-structure center was estimated at $52.4 million, but the bids for the contract, which were opened last week, came to $46.5 million, said Rolf Gunnarson, assistant executive director for the project.

"We are very pleased. This is very good news," Gunnarson said.

Public hearings and awarding of the bids will begin June 5, with construction starting July 1, Gunnarson said. The project has been divided into several construction packages, each of which requires a separate bid.

The project includes a 1,500-seat lyric theater, a 400-seat community theater, an 800-person-capacity meeting hall and a visual arts center with gallery and workshop space.

The center, to be located next to City Hall and Grape Day Park, is scheduled to be completed by the end of 1993.